Tue 4/22/2014 9:56 AM

This past week has been a pretty good one, jammed with a lot of things.  Last Monday for P-Day it was incredibly windy and we decided to go and do the Freedom Trail in Boston.  It was funny to see people leaning into the wind so they didn't fall over.  It was a lot of fun, but at the end of the day it wiped us out.  Of all the times I have done the Freedom Trail this was the first time I had actually climbed up to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument.  The 294 steps to the top were actually a bit harder than I thought it would be after doing the whole freedom trail and the other activities we did, but the reward the view gave us was well worth it.

We were able to prepare a lot of people for Easter Sunday, which I enjoyed being able to focus on the Atonement with them and especially the part of the Resurrection.

On Tuesday we had interviews with President Packard, our Mission President.  That day was very windy and rainy.  We were waiting for the bus under the bus stop shelter, but with the wind blowing at us the way it did, the shelter was pretty useless, so we got soaked. Our umbrellas got destroyed from the wind and as we were waiting, this guy pulled over and asked us where we were going.  It turns out he is a member and goes to the singles ward.  He was very friendly and gave us a ride all the way to the Stake Center for the interview.  We had great trainings from the Assistants to the President as well as our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders on how we can accomplish Zion in our Companionships a little better.  Then the cherry on top was a package I had received from Hickory Farms full of Summer Sausage, cheese, mustard, and crackers which surprisingly I shared with everyone.

We were able to meet with a youth, who on Sunday was set apart for his calling as secretary.  That Sunday was pretty cool, the Young Men's leaders let the youth do the setting apart.  The youth that had the opportunity to do that talked about how they felt the Spirit so strongly, but in a different way as they used their Priesthood.  It was a great opportunity we had with this youth to follow up on the Priesthood and what it means to hold it.  Later on that same evening, we met with Jose, and shared with him the Mormon message, "He Wants to Forgive," since it fit his situations perfectly.  It went really well.  Afterwards, we were blessed with the opportunity to go to the Temple with our Ward for a session.  It was a whole lot easier to do this second time in Spanish =D. 

As for the work as a whole, we are still working to get everything really going.  We are working with Auxiliary Leaders and brainstorming ideas on how we can get everyone to start doing their Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching.  I have come to realize while on my mission that this is of huge importance to missionary work since when Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching don't get done, people fall away.  Even more than that, we are not keeping our baptismal covenant completely if we are not fulfilling the obligation, responsibility and opportunity of Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching.  We are now going to be implementing a split calendar to help people do their Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching.

After all these weird weather changes and getting exhausted I  have gotten a bit sick starting on Friday.  But, the work still moves forward =D.  On Saturday we walked a few miles to the Young Men's President's home and expressed how we are here to help them accomplish their righteous desires and also callings in any way we can.  We will now be helping a lot with mutual since he has been having difficulties with getting it going again.

On Sunday we had a great Stake Conference as we celebrated the power and meaning behind the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I love those special times of the year when we can really focus on what he has done for us, but really, we should be remembering ALWAYS the significance of those things every day of our lives not only on those special days.

I have been recuperating pretty quickly and yesterday we had a great P-Day that started at 3 a.m.  We were allowed to go to the Battle of Lexington Re-Enactment, which was awesome!  After that we met with a lot of missionaries and went to the Cambridge Stake Center and played Ultimate Frisbee and then to Boston for the Boston Marathon.  We had a great time.  Then to finish off the P-Day, well we ate at this buffet place called "Fire and Ice."  Let's just say after eating there, I do not think any other buffet can ever come close to take top of the list over this one!  It was fantastic!  Some of the best food I have ever tasted.

I want to leave you all with my testimony that I do know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Church of Jesus Christ restored on the earth today.  That He is at its' head guiding and directing us today through our Prophet Thomas S. Monson.

If we strive to love one another and serve one another we can come even closer to him.  For as we do as he himself did, we will come to know him even more than we do now.  I know that we can do this through our Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching as members, and through seeking to give service to others whether we are a member or not.  I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Mon 4/14/2014 9:51 AM

On Wednesday I came back down to Revere and it has been great.  A little weird though since Elder Wenner went up with Elder Cole, so it was just a swap.  Elder Hunter and I have had a great time though and have been getting a lot done. 

 

Last Monday we went rock climbing at a gym with a non-member (we got approval btw =D).  It was so much fun and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed going to the rock climbing gym before the mission.  I was pretty sore for the next four days though.

 

We had an amazing correlation with our ward mission leader, Hermano Paula and all the ward missionaries as well.  It was powerful and we are working hard here in the Revere 1st ward!  We had a great meeting with him and his family this week as well, just to let them know we are here for them and didn't want to focus on missionary work with them since they do so much already, but rather just on their family and their goals.  Out of the love that we had for them and the guidance from the Holy Ghost we were able to share with them scriptures that fit their unique circumstances.  It was a beautiful visit.

 

We had a lot of things cancel on us this week as well, unfortunately, but it was a blessing in disguise because it finally allowed us some time to get organized a little bit more.

 

On Friday we had Rosario and had set up an amazing Family Home Evening at a members house.  It ended up not being able to work out and all the people we tried to call to come with us couldn't.  So, being without a man to come with us as chaperone, and doing all we could we headed over there letting her know the situation.  We ended up having Family Home Evening on the front porch, using a i-phone flashlight app for light and then finally getting a lamp out on the porch.  We watched the new mormom message video about how Christ wants to forgive; we ate pizza; had cookies and ice cream and played a little bit of monopoly.  It was a great experience and what the family needed with all that is going on in their lives right now.  We were also able to talk to Stephanie and John about their parents divorce; how it has affected them and it was a good little talk; just letting them know we understand, love them and are there for them.  I love that family so much.

 

On Sunday we had 2 non-members walk into the church building who stayed for sacrament.  A member just so happened to run into them, invited them to sit with her and after sacrament we started to get to know them.  The older lady was a little sick and the member previously explained to them how if they wanted, we could give them blessings of health, so we did =D.  It was a very special experience.  I was able to give both of them blessings.  One to the older lady and the second to the the little boy they brought with them who is about 4 and deaf.  That was such a beautiful experience where the Spirit just came in and overwhelmed me. When we as priesthood holders put our hands on someone's head to give a blessing, they are truly no longer ours, but rather Christ's whose name we are doing it in.  As a result of this experience they want us to come by this Friday, in the evening, and meet with them.  I am really looking forward to that.

 

Later that night, with our friend Jack, we went to this musical event where Jenny Oaks Baker performed.  It was amazing!  She is very talented, as well as her little children who also performed.  They are between the ages of  9 and 12 and they played like pros.  Also, the guy who plays Hyram Smith in the Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration was there and sang Tenor.  He is incredibly good.  It was a great experience and I got to see my dear friends Elder Lefthand and Nordin again.

 

I just want to express how grateful I am for a loving Father in Heave who knows all of us perfectly and our unique situations.  I have been feeling of his love, mercy and power in my life so much lately as I am striving my best to fulfill the plan that he has for me.

 

The greatest thing I could ever share with any of you is my testimony that I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he loves us, knows how to help us in our unique circumstance, because he went through them himself, and last of all that he lives. I know this because I have felt his presence in my life, I have seen his hands guiding me lovingly and have experienced the miraculous power of his atoning sacrifice.

I invite all of you reading this to strive to put coming to know him at the top of your list.  You can do this by studying the scriptures, praying and doing the best you can to live as he lived.  I leave these things with you in his name, even the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mon 4/7/2014 1:48 PM

This last week has been a bit interesting =D.  We had a lot of appointments where we were able to continue to help people prep for the amazing conference we had.  Our Ward Mission Leader is setting up appointments for us left and right and is so dedicated to his calling.  It is a huge blessing.  He will text us every day and let us know that he is there for us and if we need ANYTHING, he and his wife want to help.  They are great!

 

On Thursday I got a call from Elder Cole asking me if I would be his companion up in Lynnefield for a few days.  His companion - Elder Bushnell (the new one), just got transferred out, so that left us short one Zone Leader.  Elder Tate will be our new one with Elder Cole, but is currently doing some pretty important stuff in his area, so that means I will be here in Lynnefield until he gets here.  It is great and weird being in an English area, but I love it.  It has been a great opportunity to learn how I can become a more effective District Leader and get all the supplies I need as well.  I say Lynnefield, but our area is actually Lynnefield and Salem, so it has definitely been a little interesting.  I got to meet their investigator, Mary, who is a older Catholic lady who is amazing.  She is studying the scriptures so much and is taking some awesome notes! The only issue is she is a die hard Catholic and doesn't really want to change.  She has an assignment in nursery every Sunday that she loves to do.  She is a member of the Church of Latter- Day Saints and doesn't even realize it.... lol!

 

Elder Cole and I got a media referral that we went and contacted.  It was quite interesting.  We got to the address and as we were running up to the door the dad ran into us.  We started to talk to him and let him know why we where there and so he ran inside and got his son.  He is 14 and when he came out was incredibly scared not knowing what was going on, so we started to talk to them a little bit about how we receive referrals when people go online and fill out information.  Well, the dad was very nice, not interested, but polite.  We gave them a card and then took off.  Well as we got to the van I felt horrible.  I realized I didn't bear my testimony to him at all.  Out of practice I guess.  Well, we saw his truck go by and I felt so horrible after feeling it was over.  On Sunday during General Conference this man kept coming to mind. After the session was over I told Elder Cole that we needed to go back.  I had no idea why, but I knew that the Spirit was telling me that we needed to, so we went back; very nervously and having no idea what to expect or what to say.  We saw his son playing basketball, and as we walked up and he saw us he started to get really nervous again.  We asked him if we could talk to his dad (the look on his face was priceless).  Well, the dad came out and we said something along the lines of sorry to bother you again, as the dad said well, you guys are bothering me again.  I have no idea what transpired after that.  I opened my mouth and shared with him why we came back and he shot us down.  It was really interesting because after that he started to walk us down his driveway to get us off his property, but the Lord started to soften his heart.  He started to ask a lot of questions, give us pointers how we can be more successful and many many more things.  We had a great visit with him.  We talked at the end of his driveway for 30-40 minutes and I looked him straight in the eyes and shared with him my testimony as I gave him a Book of Mormon.  I have no idea why we went back or what will happen.  This much I do know, I had received a prompting to go back and we did go back.  As a result of us opening our mouths, the Lord filled them in his own way.  Because of the way the Lord filled our mouths, it opened an opportunity to talk to him longer and as we did I saw him as a member of the church working with the missionaries as a ward mission leader and doing a lot of good.  It was a cool little experience.  Afterward, because of following that prompting, a great peace and gratitude flooded my heart.  I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ who will not leave us alone.  Rather, if we but turn to them, recognizing our dependence on them, truly they will be there helping us along.

 

I know that this church is true.  That Christ is at the head of it and that he speaks to us today through Thomas S. Monson and the other church leaders. I know if we but ask what he will have us do and then go and do it, we will receive a peace and joy that we never before thought was possible.  I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.